Grinding-machine.



E. S. LYONS.

GRINDING MACHINE.

APPLICATION FILED SEPT. 23. 1916.

1,223,500. Patented Apr. 24, 1917.

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EDWA D IQXQN OF W BURN AS QBLUETT$ GBINDING-MAQHINE- Specification of Iietterslatent.

ApplicationfiIedSeptember 23,1916. Serial No. 121,872.

To all whom itmay concern:

. Be it known that I, ED ARD S. LYoNs, a citizen ofthe United States, residingat Woburn, county of Middlesex, State of Massachusetts, have invented an Improvement in Grinding-Machines, of which .the following description, in connection with the accom- .panying drawing,- is :a specification, like characters on the drawing "representing like parts.

Thisinvention relates .to improvements in grinding machines andparticularly grindingmechanism forimaintaininga sharp edge upon traveling knives orcutters for leather splitting machines orv similar devices.

The object of the invention is to provide means for supporting a rotatable grinding member in such a manner that-the said grinding member may be rotated freely without vibration andsthereby enablingit to produce a smooth uniform edge upon the cutter. Anotherv object ofthe invention is to provide a novel and eflicient anti-friction bearing for the shaft supportingthe rotatablegrinding member which can be readily adjusted to take up .wear and may be constantly supplied v with lubricant.

' Other features of the invention will be fullyset forth in the accompanyingrdescriptionand accompanying. drawings and will be particularly. pointed out. :in the annexed claims. 4 I

g'llhe drawings illustrate in diagrammatic form the application of my invention to grinding-mechanism for sharpening an endless. cuttrsuch. asis used in leather. splitting machines.

Figure 1 is a front elevation of the rotatable ,grinding members operating uponthe edgefof; an. endless knife. or cutter and showing in section the improved .Isupporting bearings for the shaftsofthe. grinders;

?Fig. 2 isa'detail sideelevation showing thegposition. of the tively toqthe edge 0 in .zsharpened. I

gnall classes ofgrindingmachines embodying a rotating grinding member it is desirable that the grinding -member I shall run trueiso that. chattering. and consequently irregular :grinding' of the blade will be avoided.

In machines such. a'sileather splitting machines in which an endless traveling cutter seversithe leather or'vhide into thin slices it is very essential that a uniform sharp-edge the cutter which isv berinding members rela engage andgrindthe knife as .its lower lead passes by .the grinder. Heretofore such grinders have been supported .upon shafts ournaled in. bearings in brackets supported from the..main frame. of the .machine. .01- dinarilythe ends of the shafts for grinders are tapered and seated in correspondingly tapered sockets in studs which maybe adjusted in the direction of the axis of the shaft .to form asufliciently tightbearingfto prevent vibration ofthe grinders. A great amount of difficulty,.however, is encountered in the .useof such bearings. Theyare necessarily difficult to adjust and if the bearingis .made too tight it .will heat andtherebyexpand the bearing members so as to bind or set theshaft of the grinder thus retarding or preventing its rotation. If thebearings .are not adjusted tightly enough .the wheelwill vibrate and produce anirregular or corrugated edge upon the cutterwhich of course will improperly slice the leather.

In other machines adapted for similar uses the imperfect grinding of the cutter causes a resulting imperfect product andthe above application of my invention is referred to merely as illustrative of one of its importantuses. In the preferred embodiment of the invention illustrated herein two grinding members in'the form ofgrinding Pa entedepr- 2 ;917- I disks are shownvas engaging .a section of an endless knife. These grinding members. are supported uponsimilar shaftshaving similar bearings, anda description oflone will therefore be sufiicient. The grinding memforced firmly against the grinder by a nut 'll-screwed upon thethreaded section .6 of

the. shaft thereby forcing the grinder and that the grinder is rigidly afiixed to the shaft.

The shafts 3 and 4 desirably are provided with pulleys 12 and 13 by means of which rotation may be imparted to said shafts.

The ends of the shafts 3, 4 are provided with reduced screw-threaded end portions l4, 15 which presentshoulders 16, 17 adapted to limit the movement of cup members l8, 19 having raceways 20, 21 for series of antifriction instrumentalities such as balls 22, 23. The cooperating bearing members for the ends of the shaft preferably comprise studs 24, 25 which are adjustably seated in the brackets 26, 27 integral with or carried by the frame of the machine (not shown). The studs 24, 25 are provided with conoidal ends 28, 29 adapted to engage respectively the-balls 22, 23 in the raceways 20, 21 of the'cup members. The studs 24, 25 are longitudinally movable in the direction of the axis of the shafts 3, 4 and may be locked in adjusted position by set screws 30, 31 passing through the brackets 26, 27 and engaging at their ends the studs 24, 25.

The studs 24, 25 desirably arebored aXially to provide oil' ducts 32 leading to the bearings between the cup and cone. The outer portion of each stud is also preferably countersunk to provide a chamber 33 adapted to contain a body of lubricant, and the walls of such chamber are screw-threaded to receive a screw-threaded plug 34 having a transverse slot 35 by means of which it may be rotated and advanced into or removed from said chamber. The chamber 33 and duct 32thus provided with the adjustable plug34 form a grease gun by means of which a proper amount of lubricant may always be supplied to the bearings. Suitable caps 36 preferably of stamped sheet metal fitted upon the ends of the bearing cups serve to retain the lubricant in the bearings and also effectively to exclude dust therefrom. y

As illustrated herein the-supporting mechanism for-the grinders 1 and 2 is so arranged that the periphery of said grinders shall be in different vertical planes and overlapping a short distance as illustrated in Fig. 2 so that both sides of the edge of the blade B passing'between them will'be simultaneously ground. VVhileas illustrated in the drawing the studs 24, 25 are supported in brackets 26, 27 carried by the frame (not shown) it will be obvious that other supporting means may be provided and that a single grinder and grinding shaft may be utilized for some kinds of grinding instead of the pair of coiiperating grinding mechanisms illustrated herein. It is also to be understood that the particular mechanisms disclosed herein are illustrative in character and not restrictive within the meaning and scope of the following claims.

Having thus fully described my invention, what I claim as new and desire to secure by Letters Patent is:- I

l. A grinding machine comprising a rotatable grinding member rigidly secured upon a shaft, cups containing raceways for rotatable antifriction elements secured upon the ends of said shaft, means for preventing movement of said cups longitudinally of said shaft, cooperating conoidal bearing members engaging said antifriction instrumentalities and means for adjusting said conoidal members in the direction of the axis of said shaft.

2. A grinding machine comprising a ro-' tatable grinding member rigidly secured upon a shaft having reduced screw-threaded end portions and presenting shoulders, cups containing raceways for rotatable anti-friction elements screwed upon the ends of said shaft and against said shoulders, cooperatingconoidal bearing members engaging said anti-friction instrumentalities, and means fol-adjusting said conoidal members in the direction of the axis of said shaft.

3. A grinding machine comprising a rotatable grinding member rigidly secured upon the shaft, means for supporting the said shaft including a cup containing a raceway for rotatable anti-friction elements secured to the end of said shaft, a coiiperating conical bearing member engaging said anti-friction instrumentalities, said conical bearing'member being provided with a lubrieating chamber, and a duct leading therefrom to said bearing, and means for forcing lubricant from said chamber through said duct into the bearing.

4. A grinding machine comprising a rotatable grinding member rigidly secured upon the shaft, means for supporting the said shaft including a cup containing a raceway for rotatable anti-friction elements secured to the end of said shaft, a cotiperat- 'ing conical bearing member engaging said anti-friction instrumentalities, said conical bearing member being provided with a lubricating chamber having a screw-threaded wall, aduct leading from said chamber to said bearing, and a plug having a screwthreaded periphery engaging the screwthreads of the walls of said chamber and adapted to be advanced to force lubricant through said duct into said bearing.

In testimony whereof, I have signed my name to this specification.

EDWARD S. LYONS.

Copies of this patent may be obtained for five cents each, by addressing the Commissioner of Patents,

Washington, D. 0. 

